Portable house.



PATENTED FEB. 19, 1907.

A. H. GILL. PORTABLE HOUSE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.26, 1906.

2 SHEETB-BHBBT 1.

No. 844,861. PATENTED FEB.19, 1907.

A. H. GILL.

PORTABLE HOUSE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ANNA H. GILL, OF SAN FRANCICO, CALIFORNIA.

PORTABLE HOUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1907.

Application filed December 26,1905. Serial No. 293.339.

To all whom it may (JON/(2677b:

Be it known that I, ANNA I I. GILL, a eiti zen of the United States, residing at the city and countyof San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable Houses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to portable houses.

Its object is to provide a simple cheap practical sectional building which shall be light in weight with maximum strength and rigidity, which can befolded into the smallest possible compass for purposes of storage or transportation, which may be quickly set up or taken down with very little labor, and which needs neither screws, nails, bolts, or like securing means to hold the assembled parts together.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear end view of my portable house. Fig. 2 is a detail of the upper structure, showing how the timbers are joined and held together. Fig. 8 is a perspective of the frame, the covering being removed to show the different tension-ropes and the rafters and studs on the farther side of the frame being omitted to avoid confusion. Fig. 4 is a plan and crosssection of the side-wall plate. Fig. 5 is a plan and section of the end-wall plate. Fig. 6 is a broken-away detail view showing how the screen-frame is supported. Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing a portion of one of the studs and wall-plates.

In the construction of my house its various elements, comprising the ridge-pole, rafters, sills, joists, studs, &c., are turned out separately from the mill or'fa-ctory after being matched and numbered or otherwise designated, so that the building can easily be set up later in the field or elsewhere. Every part is made separately and exists separately, except in the assembled structure, from every other part. When the frame is assembled, its component parts are united into a rigid structure by means of truss ropes or cables or equivalent means.

A represents the ridge-pole 2, the rafters; 3, the top side-wall plates, and 4 the end-wall plates; 5,the vertical king-posts; 6, the vertical studs; 7, the floor-sills; 8, the front vertical columns forming the door-fra1ne to one of which columns the door 9 may be hinged; 10, the floor-joists, and 11, 11, and 11 the truss or. tension ropes or cables. These parts, with the possible exception of the king-posts 5 and floor-joists 10, constitute the essential elements of my frame. The ridge-pole A is mortised on its opposite vertical sides to form appropriate seats for the upper eonvergent ends of the rafters 2. The lower ends of the latter seat or abut against the lengthwise-extending ledges 12 on the sidewallplates 3. The king-posts 5 have end tenons 5, fitting correspoi'iding sockets in the bottom of the ridge-polc and in the top of the end-wall plates 4. If desired, the side and end wall plates may be suitably reinforced, as shown 1n Figs. 4 and 5, to withstand warp, strain, and cracking by means of the longitudinal strips 13 and cross-pieces 14. The side and end wall plates 3 4 are correspondingly perforated near their ends, as shown at 15, to receive the tenons 16 of the vertical corner-studs 6, and the bottom sills 7 have corresponding corner perforations to receive the tenon projections on the lower ends of these same studs. The wall-plates and lower sills are perforated at suitable points in their length to receive the tenons at the corresponding ends of all the other vertical studs. Preferably the length of the top and bottom side and end wall plates correspond, respectively, to the length and width of the building to be constructed, and as the side and end wall plates both above and below overlap and are perforated as described it will be observed that the interlocking of the main part of the frame is effected by the four cornerposts. Having thus set up the sides and ends of the frame, it is a simple matter to place the ridge-pole, rafters, and end dowelposts in position. The parts are thereafter united into a rigid permanent structure by means of the truss or tension cables 11 11 11*. One set of these cables 11 are attached to a central point 17 on the under side of the ridge-pole and are run diagonally to the corners of the roof and connect with the upper wall-plates.

The sides of the frame are braced by other rods or cables 11, running diagonally of the panels of the frame, with one end of the rod or cable connected to a wall-plate and the other end to a bottom sill. The ends of the frame are trussed and braced by other cables 11, which connect near the ends of the ridgepole and extend divergently downward and connect with the ends of the bottom end l sills. Suitable means for taking up the tension of these truss-ropes are provided. In the present instance I have shown a simple and well-known means consisting of a block of wood 18, to which one end of a rope is attached, the block having a suitable perforation in the other end through whicha section of the same piece of ropeis slidable, the loop formed on one side of the block 18 being engaged over a suitable hook or equivalent anchorage 19. e

I/Vith the several parts assembledand with the various ropes or cables 11 11 11 suitably anchored at one end the whole frame may be quickly and rigidly braced into a unitary structure by suitably taking up the tension of the several ropes.

In order to provide light and ventilation, one or more screened or glazed frames 19 may be inserted at either or both ends of the building. Preferably these glazed or screened frames are made as removable elements of the building-frame and are put in place at the time the rafters and ridge-pole are set up. I have shown these screen frames as having tenon projections 20 iiting into corresponding sockets in the end rafters and king-posts. Any other suitable means could be employed to keep these screen-frames in fixed position in the assembled structure.

Any appropriate form of roofing or siding may be employed to suitably inclose the building and render it habitable. In the present instance I have shown a canvas or like fabric covering which comprises a sheet 22 for the roof, two side pieces 21, and the triangular end pieces 23 for that part of tlie frame not inclosed by screens or windows between the rafters and the top end sills. The roof-sheet may be made in one or more separate pieces; but preferably one for matter of compactness and is provided with suitable eyelets at its ends adapted to engage over corresponding buttons 24 on the outer edges of the top side sills 3. In practice with the frame set up and braced the eyelets in one end of the roof-sheet are engaged with the buttons 24 on one of the side-wall plates, and the end of the sheet is carried up over the ridge-pole and suitably stretched and engaged at the other end with the eyelets 24 on the opposite side-wall plate. The end pieces 23 are similarly provided with eyelets ployment of the fly forms an lnsulatmg airor other suitably-secured means around their edges and engaged with corresponding buttons or projections 25 on the bordering rigid parts of the building-frame.

The strips of fabric which inclose the sides of the building are preferably made in two portions, each portion having eyelets or equivalent means at one end engaging over buttons or corresponding interlocking means 26 on the door-columns 8. The two side strips 21 are carried around the building in opposite directions and are buttoned or 0therwise secured to the vertical end columns 8, which latter are provided in case a rear door to the building is desired. The ends of the strips 21 are long enough to extend across the two posts 8 and to be connected together by any suitable means, as the lacing 27.

If it is desired to provide the house with a false roof or fly where the building may be used in hot or tropical climates or as an extra precaution against heavy rainfall, it is only necessary to lay a second sheet 28 centrally over the already laid roof 22. If desired, the fly may be supported cut of all contact with the roof-sheet 22 and'ridge-pole A by using a second and preferably longer ridge-pole A, which is disposed above and parallel with and spaced from ridge-pole A and supported from the latter by the short removable posts a. By supporting the fly entirely clear of the roof-cover 22 an uninterrupted air-space is provided between both sides of the roof, which is advantageous in hot weather, while in wet weather it insures greater dryness by reducing the chance of leak along the ridge-pole. The fly-sheet 28 is suitably stretched and the ends carried down until they project out suitably from the sides of the building. These ends are suitably extended by means of the removable outriggers 29 and attached to suitable fixed anchorages, as the studs 6. As here shown, the ends of the fly are provided with the ropes 30 and take-up blocks 31, with the loops of the ropes 3O engaging over suitable projecticns 32, carried by the studs 6. The outriggers 29 fit up underneath the end-wall plates and against the studs and are held horizon-tally by the tension of the fly and ropes 30.

A house of this construction is very light, cheap, easily portable, and can be quickly set up for use or knocked down for purposes of storage or shipment. By providing the several parts with suitable interconnecting means, as dowel-tenons, mortises, and the like, and employing flexible tension means 11., 11 11 I am able to dispense entirely with the use of nails, screws, &c. By having all the parts made to match correctly the house is capable of being rendered absolutely 1nos uito-proof. At the same time the screenframes and the use of a screen-door provide suitable ventilation and light, while the emspace to assist in maintaining the chamber or chambers of the building cool.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A portable house having in combination a ridge-pole provided with mortises, rafters having upper ends fitting said mortises, wallplates, ledges extending along the wall-plates and against which the lower ends of the raf tors abut, and flexible tension means for sewall-plates and against which the lower ends of the rafters abut, truss means for securing the parts together into a rigid structure, and I adjusting means connecting with the truss means for adjusting the tension thereof.

3. A portable house-frame comprising a f ridgepole having mortises, rafters with their convergent ends removably fitting said mortises, side and end wall plates, said side-wall lates having abutments for the lower ends of the rafters, vertical studs suitably supported at their lower ends and removably engaging the side andend wall plates, diagonally-extending braces connecting the ridge pole and the Wall-plates, other similar braces connected near the ends of the ridge-pole and with a fixed point near the ground, and other similar braces connecting the wall-plates with fixed points near the ground, said several braces being provided with take-up means.

4. In a portable house-frame, the combination with a ridgeepole having mortised sides, rafters having one end d etachably connected with the ridgepole, detachable side and end wall plates, said rafters being detachably supported by said side-wall plates, vertical studs detachably connected with the wall-plates, said studs suitably supported attheir lower ends, braces uniting said several assembled parts into a rigid structure, some of said braces extending diag onally from the ridge-pole to the wall-plates, and suitable take-up means for said braces.

5. In a portable house-frame, the combination with a ridge-pole, rafters detachably connected with the ridge-pole, detachable side and end wall plates, said rafters being detachably supported by said side wall lates, vertical studs detachably connected with the Wall-plates, said studs suitably'supported at their lower ends, braces uniting said several assembled parts into a rigi theends of the ridge-pole and extending diagonally to fixed points proximate to the lower ends of the corner-posts, and suitable take-up means for said braces.

6. In a portable house, the combination of a ridge-pole having mortises in its sides, rafters having upper ends fitting said mortises, j side and end wall plates said side-wall plates having seats for the lower ends of the rafters, and vertical studs, said several parts being detachably connected, flexible tension. means 1 for locking the several parts together into a rigid structure, said tension means comprising diagonally-extending ropes or cables eoniecting the parts to be united, and said cables having suitable take-up means.

7. A portable house having in combination a ridge-pole having mortises in its sides, raf- I ters having upper ends fashioned to fit said j mortises, side and end wall plates, ledges extending along the wall-plates and forming 'abutments for the lower ends of the rafters, bottom sills, king-posts connecting the ridgepole and end-wall plates, vertical studs conl necting the wall-plates and bottom sills, j braces extending diagonally from the sidewall plates to fixed points adjacent to the l bottom sills, and other braces connecting the j ridge-pole with fixed points below, a roofsheet, said sheet and a fabric covering exj tending around the sides of the building and having the ends united at the rear, and a j lightaperture frame removably fitting a space inclosed by a king-post and an endiwall plate and a corresponding rafter, and means forming a door-entrance to the struci ture.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANNA H. GILL.

EDWIN WV. \Voonwann,

l j \Vitnesses; l M. V. HEINRIGL structure, some of said braces connected near 

